TERRITORIALITY IN HONEYEATERS - REVIEWING THE CONCEPT AND EVALUATING AVAILABLE INFORMATION

We define territorial behaviour as aggressive behaviour that occurs re peatedly in about the same location with associated submissive behavio ur on the part of the individuals or groups to which the aggression is directed. Of a worldwide total of about 170 honeyeater species (Melip hagidae), 36 have been described as being territorial and we consider that 28 of these have been shown to satisfy our definition of territor iality. We discuss the consequences of territorial behaviour and the d etermination of the boundaries and areas of territories. We also revie w the available information regarding territorial behaviour exhibited by the New Holland honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae), the most studied of all honeyeater species. We recommend that future descripti ons of territorial behaviour attempt to determine the intensity of the behaviour, sharpness of the territory boundary, degree of exclusive u se of the relevant resource, and the extent to which areas separate fr om the territory are used by the territory owner or owners. For territ oriality to become a useful concept for honeyeaters, behaviour that le ads to the label of 'territorial' must be fully documented.